世有书符请仙而求方者，其所书之方，固有极浅、极陋、极不典，而不能治病且误人者
；亦
有极高、极古、极奇、极稳，以之治病而神效者。其仙或托名吕纯阳，或托名张仲景。其方
亦宛然纯阳、仲景之遗法。此其事甚奇，然亦有理焉。夫乩者，机也。人心之感召，无所不
通，既庆心于求治，则必又能治病之鬼神应之。虽非真纯阳、仲景，必先世之明于医理，不
遇于时而死者，其向导一时不散，游行于天地之间，因感而至，以显其能，而其人病适当愈
，则获遇之，此亦有其理也。其方未必尽效，然皆必有意义，反不若世之时医，用相反之药
以害人。惟决死生之处，不肯凿凿言之，此则天机不轻泄之故也。至于不通不典之方，则秘
持乩之术不工，或病家之心不诚，非真乩方也。
凡药之误人，虽不中病，非与病相反者，不能杀人。即与病相反，药性平和者，不能杀
人。
与病相反，性又不平和，而用药甚轻，不能杀人。性既相反，药剂又重，其方中有几味中病
者，或有几味能解此药性者，亦不能杀人。兼此数害，或其人病甚轻，或其人精力壮盛，亦
不能杀人。盖误药杀人，如此之难也，所以世之医者，大半皆误，亦不见其日杀数人也。即
使杀之，乃辗转因循，以至于死，死者不觉也。其有幸而不死，或渐自愈者，反指所误用之
药以为此方之功效，又转以之误治他人矣。所以终身误人，而不自知其咎也。惟大热大燥之
药，则杀人为最烈。盖热性之药，往往有毒；又阳性急暴，一入脏腑，则血涌气升。若欺
之阴气本虚，或当天时酷暑，或其人伤暑伤热，一投热剂，两火相争，目赤便闭，舌燥齿干
，口渴心烦，肌裂神躁，种种恶候，一时俱发。医者及病家俱不察，或云更宜引火归元，或
云此是阴症，当加重其热药，而佐以大补之品。其人七窍皆血，呼号宛转，状如服毒而死。
病家全不以为咎，医者亦洋洋自得，以为病势当然。总之，愚人喜服补热，虽死不悔。我目
中所见不一垂涕泣而道之，而医者与病家，无一能听从者，岂非所谓命哉！夫大寒之药，亦
能杀人，其势必缓，犹为可救；不若大热之药，断断不可救也。至于极轻淡之药，误用亦能
杀人，此乃其人之本领甚薄，或势已危殆。故小误即能生变，此又不可全归咎于医杀之了。
世间有通过扶乩（一种占卜求神的方法）请仙来寻求药方的人，他们所写出的药方，确实存在极其浅薄、粗陋、不合经典规范，不仅不能治病反而害人的情况；但也存在极高明、极古奥、极奇特、极稳妥，用来治病而效果神奇的情况。这些所谓的“仙人”有的托名吕洞宾，有的托名张仲景。他们的药方也俨然像是吕洞宾、张仲景遗留下来的治疗方法。这件事虽然很奇怪，但其中也有道理。所谓“乩”，就是机巧感应。人心对神灵的感召，无所不通，既然诚心祈求治疗，那么必然会有能治病的鬼神来回应。虽然并非真正的吕洞宾或张仲景，但必定是前世通晓医理却生不逢时而死去的贤人，他们的魂魄一时未散，游荡在天地之间，因为感应而来，以显示其能力，而恰好此时病人的病应当痊愈，于是得以相遇，这也是有道理的。这些药方未必全都有效，但都必有其意义，反倒不如当今的庸医，使用性质相反的药物来害人。只是在判断病人死生的关键处，不肯确切地说出来，这是天机不轻易泄露的缘故。至于那些不通顺、不合经典的药方，则是秘传扶乩的技术不高超，或者病人的心不够虔诚，并不是真正的乩方。
凡是药物误用伤人，即使不对症，只要不是与病情相抵触的药物，就不能杀人。即使是与病情相抵触的药物，如果药性平和，也不能杀人。与病情相抵触，药性又不平和，但用药剂量很轻，也不能杀人。药性既相反，药剂剂量又重，但方子中有几味药是对症的，或者有几分药能解除这种药物的毒性，也不能杀人。兼有上述几种危害，或者病人病情很轻，或者病人精力壮盛，也不能杀人。大概误药杀人是如此困难，所以世上的医生，大半都犯错误，也没见他们每天杀死几个人。即使杀死了人，也是辗转拖延，最终导致死亡，死者并不觉得痛苦。如果有幸没死，或者逐渐自愈的，反而把误用的药当作这个方子的功效，又转而用它去治疗其他人了。所以终身误人，而自己不知道是自己的过错。只有大热大燥的药物，杀人最为猛烈。因为热性的药物，往往有毒；而且阳热之性急暴，一旦进入脏腑，就会使血液上涌、气机上逆。如果病人阴气本来虚弱，或者正值天气酷暑，或者病人中暑受热，一服用热性药剂，两火相争，出现眼睛发红、大便闭塞、舌头干燥、牙齿干枯、口渴心烦、皮肤开裂、神志烦躁等各种恶候，一时间全部发作。医生和病家都不加考察，有的说更应该引火归元，有的说这是阴证，应当加重热药的剂量，并配合大补的药物。结果病人七窍流血，呼号挣扎，样子像服毒而死。病家完全不认为是自己的过错，医生也洋洋自得，认为病情发展本来就是这样的。总之，愚蠢的人喜欢服用补益热性的药物，即使死了也不后悔。我亲眼所见的不止一次，痛哭流涕地讲述此事，但医生和病家，没有一个人能听从的，这难道不是所谓的命运吗！大寒的药物，也能杀人，但其势缓慢，还可以救治；不像大热的药物，断然不可救治。至于极轻微清淡的药物，误用也能杀人，这是因为病人本身体质非常薄弱，或者病情已经危殆。所以小小的误用就能产生变故，这又不能全归咎于医生杀人了。
There are people in the world who seek prescriptions through *Ji Fang* (divination by a planchette to summon spirits). The prescriptions they obtain indeed include those that are extremely shallow, crude, and unorthodox, which not only fail to cure diseases but also harm patients. However, there are also those that are extremely profound, ancient, unique, and stable, yielding miraculous effects when used to treat diseases. These "immortals" may claim to be Lu Dongbin or Zhang Zhongjing. Their prescriptions appear to be the legacy methods of Lu Dongbin and Zhang Zhongjing. Although this phenomenon is strange, there is logic behind it. "Ji" refers to spiritual sensitivity. The human heart's appeal to the divine is all-pervasive; since one sincerely seeks healing, ghosts and deities capable of curing must respond. Although these are not the true Lu Dongbin or Zhang Zhongjing, they are likely enlightened physicians from past lives who died without meeting their time. Their spirits, lingering between heaven and earth due to unresolved attachments, arrive upon sensing the call to demonstrate their abilities. If a patient's condition is at a stage where recovery is possible, such an encounter occurs, which is also logical. These prescriptions may not all be effective, but they invariably possess meaning, unlike contemporary mediocre physicians who use contraindicated herbs to harm people. They simply refuse to speak definitively about life-and-death prognoses, as heavenly secrets are not lightly revealed. As for prescriptions that are incoherent or unorthodox, they result from poor proficiency in the planchette technique or lack of sincerity from the patient, and thus are not genuine *Ji Fang*.
Regarding drug errors, even if a medicine does not match the disease, if it is not contrary to the pathology, it cannot kill. Even if it is contrary to the pathology, if its nature is mild, it cannot kill. If it is contrary to the pathology and has a harsh nature but is administered in a light dosage, it cannot kill. If the nature is contrary and the dosage is heavy, but the formula contains several herbs that target the disease or ingredients that can neutralize the toxic nature, it cannot kill. Furthermore, if these harms are combined with either a very mild disease or robust vitality, death still does not occur. Thus, killing via erroneous medication is so difficult that although most physicians make mistakes, we do not see them killing several people daily. Even if death occurs, it is usually due to prolonged delay and neglect, causing the patient to die without realizing the cause. If the patient fortunately survives or gradually recovers, they mistakenly attribute this to the efficacy of the erroneous prescription and subsequently use it to treat others. Consequently, they mislead people throughout their lives without recognizing their own fault. Only excessively hot and dry medicines kill most violently. Hot-natured herbs are often toxic; moreover, Yang heat is fierce and rapid. Once entering the Zang-Fu organs, it causes blood surging and Qi ascending. If the patient's Yin Qi is inherently deficient, or if it is peak summer heat, or if the patient suffers from heatstroke or internal heat, administering a hot formula creates a conflict of two fires. This results in red eyes, constipation, dry tongue, dry teeth, thirst, irritability, skin cracking, and restlessness—all severe symptoms erupting simultaneously. Physicians and families fail to observe this correctly; some suggest "guiding fire back to its source," while others claim it is a *Yin Syndrome* and advise increasing the dose of hot herbs supplemented with major tonics. The patient then bleeds from all seven orifices, cries out in agony, and resembles someone who has taken poison. The family does not consider it their fault, and the physician remains complacent, believing the disease progression was inevitable. In short, foolish people prefer taking tonic and hot medicines, regretting nothing even in death. I have witnessed this enough times to weep bitterly, yet neither physicians nor families listen. Is this not what is called destiny? Cold medicines can also kill, but the process is slow and potentially salvageable; unlike hot medicines, which are absolutely incurable once administered. As for extremely mild and bland medicines, erroneous use can also kill, but this is because the patient's constitution is extremely weak or the condition is already critical. Thus, minor errors lead to drastic changes, and this cannot be entirely blamed on the physician killing the patient.